You Make Life Sweet with Deborah Hellman

Today we’re rolling out the red carpet for Deborah Hellman and this sweet, sparkly unicorn treat card featuring our September 2026 Crafty Crew Kit, Unicorn Party Snacks 4x6 Stamp Set, and Unicorns & Cotton Candy 6x6 Pattern Paper. We love how Deborah created a playful shaker-style design filled with magical treats, pastel color, and sweet candy details. This project is such a fun example of how stamped images, patterned paper, and interactive sparkle can come together to create a handmade card full of whimsy and joy. Here’s what Deborah had to say about the project.

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Hi everyone! Deborah here and I am SUPER excited about the new September 2026 Crafty Crew Kit! I love all things cute and whimsical and one of my granddaughters is a unicorn fanatic. This kit is sooo adorable and has many options. This kit was a must for me. 

The kit is available for pre-order until August 15th. If you subscribe, you will get the kit at a special price, plus receive a bonus embellishment. If you miss the order window, you will have to wait until next year to get your hands on these wonderful creative products.

When I make cards, I always select my paper first and then decide on a general design layout for my card before beginning to color. The colors in the Unicorn and Cotton Candy Paper Pack and so dreamy... sooo many beautiful choices. I often tweek the design as I work, but I like to have a mental picture of what I want to create. I also like to match my alcohol ink marker colors to the pattern paper and solid cardstock that I am using.

For my A2 card, I decided to make a shaker card. After picking my paper, I cut three openings in my cardstock. Next, I glued a piece of acetate or thick plastic to the back. I often reuse packaging material or stamp backing for this. Then, I added foam adhesive around the entire back, around each of the openings, and a piece in the solid areas for support. This creates separate compartments so that I can use different shaker bits and they won't mix. Once you finish attaching the adhesive foam, add your shaker bits, remove the adhesive foam backing, and then carefully align your cardbase over one corner and attach making sure to align with the sides.

Tip: If the top, bottom, or open edge are slightly off, you can usually fix that with your paper trimmer instead of trying to remove the base. I have included pictures below of my shaker.

 

Once my images were colored, I attached them to the front. I added adhesive tape foam behind the main images and sentiment for added dimension.

If you're heading over to shop...I have a discount code for you - it will save you 10% off your order (some restrictions apply)!
DISCOUNT CODE: HELLMAD

Thanks so much for stopping by today and spending a little time with us! We hope you’ll check back throughout the month for more design team inspiration.